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Question of the Day: Did you buy your last car with cash or on a finance plan?
The Audi Thread
- Thread starter PostmanPot
- Start date
Galactica
Expert Member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2006
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Wouldn't the high mileage of pre-facelift A3 Sportback 2.0T be a concern in terms of reliability and maintenance? What is the max mileage I should look at? Also considering that the 147kw model is quite high performance and would have been driven hard.
And do you think manual offers peace of mind versus multitronic and S-tronic?
If push came to shove I would rather go for an A4 sedan than an Avant.
Don't want A5 either.
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PostmanPot
Honorary Master
Pre facelift A3 is 2003 - 2008. Of those one would want a 2007/2008 as they have the most modern interior with MP3 CD playability in the double din Concert II+/Symphony II+ radios (not Chorus).
Steering wheel controls were also more standard in 2007/2008.
Facelift is 2008 - 2013.
Pho3nix
The Legend
PostmanPot
Honorary Master
The 2012 A4 facelift interior with display screen is lekker. Miles ahead of the plain A3 facelift interior.
Much the same as the pre facelift A4, hence the low value of facelift models.
You'll find that Audi MMI controls next to the gear lever is more common in the A4 facelift models. In the pre facelift it was mainly the ones with Navigation which had the controls there. Standard is controls on the radio.
PostmanPot
Honorary Master
Thanks
So the 2014 is a totally new "model" ?
Yes, the third generation 8V with LED strip lighting came out late 2013/2014.
DominionZA
Executive Member
Drove Gauteng to Port Edward yesterday and came down using both mine and my wife's cars. Of course I had to do fuel consumption comparisons.
Wife's car: Jeep Cherokee 2.8 diesel.
4 people.
Mine: A5 3.2 FSi.
3 people, full boot and pulling a trailer.
When we left, we both topped up.
At about 266kms we pulled off to have breakfast. Refueled same time.
My car took only 3L more than hers. I was pleasantly surprised at this considering the extra load I had - and not diesel. Her car is however quite a bit heavier than mine (I think) so suspect that to be why her consumption was not much better than mine?
When we got closer to the coast it seemed to pretty much even out, but only comparing by guage so not accurate.
Is this Audi's FSi tech in action, or is the Jeep just quite a guzzler?
Wife's car: Jeep Cherokee 2.8 diesel.
4 people.
Mine: A5 3.2 FSi.
3 people, full boot and pulling a trailer.
When we left, we both topped up.
At about 266kms we pulled off to have breakfast. Refueled same time.
My car took only 3L more than hers. I was pleasantly surprised at this considering the extra load I had - and not diesel. Her car is however quite a bit heavier than mine (I think) so suspect that to be why her consumption was not much better than mine?
When we got closer to the coast it seemed to pretty much even out, but only comparing by guage so not accurate.
Is this Audi's FSi tech in action, or is the Jeep just quite a guzzler?
Quantum Theory
Executive Member
Not just about the weight... The wind resistance (drag coefficient) on a Jeep is also a lot higher. New Cherokee is actually a lot better, but the older 2.8 CRD's were shaped like bricks.
genetic
Honorary Master
Retro fitting non-LED lights to LED technology is a no-no. That's not to say it's impossible, but it requires a lot of work.
Besides the obvious bulb and fitting differences, the OBC sends out pulses to check if there is resistance in the bulb, which tells the computer if the bulb is blown or not.
With LED's this creates periodic flicker in the lights, and fools the computer in thinking the bulb is blown, which creates continuous OBD errors. You'd need to wire different circuitry for LED lights to work correctly.
You get cheap LED after market bulbs which have the resistance and circuitry built in, but a quick search on google reveals scores of problems with reliability of these bulbs, and are terrible at best.
SauRoNZA
Honorary Master
Wouldn't the high mileage of pre-facelift A3 Sportback 2.0T be a concern in terms of reliability and maintenance? What is the max mileage I should look at? Also considering that the 147kw model is quite high performance and would have been driven hard.
And do you think manual offers peace of mind versus multitronic and S-tronic?
If push came to shove I would rather go for an A4 sedan than an Avant.
Don't want A5 either.
I'll rather not comment on mileage as I think a car with 100000km on is brand new.
As for the model being being a performance model and the assumption that it was driven hard. Well it's bollocks. Firstly because a non-performance model could be driven just as hard but isn't made for it so should explode faster.
Secondly because there is no real way to tell this on any car. Look at the rest of the car to see how it was treated and then assume that if looks like it was treated well then it stands to reason it was driven with as much respect.
Thirdly. It's been proven that hard run in engines often produce more power and last longer. Granted it's a strict methodology that needs to be followed but still the point stands.
Nothing wrong with S-tronic on newer models and even on older ones of the mechatronics unit fails it can be repaired in most cases. Audi will want to replace it again and again though.
Multitronic also fine, but you might not like the way it drives. As always test drive test drive test drive.
ahoudet
Expert Member
Totally agree with you on mileage and how a car has been driven. Recently sold a Renault Megane with 300000km and its running beautifully. We got it as the third owner (120k km or so and first being a rental car). The car was used as a driver's car during the week and was pushed hard by my brother fairly often...
RogueTr00per
Honorary Master
Keep us posted
That is possibly what I will be looking for 9 months from now if I decide to change my A3. I had a glance at A3 5 doors on Autotrader and 330k also looked like the sweet spot that appealed to me.Keep us posted
Will do! Mate has the A3 sedan and it is sure sweet
Though it plays in the same price range as the A4. Fiance has wedding address appointments for the next few Saturdays, so I'm free to go test driving 
If I can negotiate to 300k, they might have a deal!
ahoudet
Expert Member
The A4 will depreciate when the new model is released whereas the A3 sedan won't be replaced for a while...Will do! Mate has the A3 sedan and it is sure sweet
If I can negotiate to 300k, they might have a deal!
Yeah, even before the price increase it was near impossible to find any demo models under 320, and those that were, were pretty darn bare bones.
But should be able to find some within the year as second hand ones come onto the market. I do feel it is a better option than a similarly priced A4 atm since the A4 is an outgoing model
But should be able to find some within the year as second hand ones come onto the market. I do feel it is a better option than a similarly priced A4 atm since the A4 is an outgoing model
Thanks for the info re new model releases. The A3 sedan does seem to have a more menacing look
I spend nearly two hours in traffic every morning, and so I need to make the move to automatic soon. My manual alfa is killing my knees!
I spend nearly two hours in traffic every morning, and so I need to make the move to automatic soon. My manual alfa is killing my knees!
RogueTr00per
Honorary Master
I think in Gauteng you will find better car deals than here around Cape Town. Dealers here , generally speaking, seem unwilling to negotiate their prices down.
2 hours in traffic one way?? That's hectic. Now I truly cherish my 12 minutes drive to work
2 hours in traffic one way?? That's hectic. Now I truly cherish my 12 minutes drive to work
PostmanPot
Honorary Master
I think in Gauteng you will find better car deals than here around Cape Town. Dealers here , generally speaking, seem unwilling to negotiate their prices down.
2 hours in traffic one way?? That's hectic. Now I truly cherish my 12 minutes drive to work
Definitely!
While the A3 Sedan and Sportback will hold resale value well as the model is new, those interested should wait for the new A4 IMO...